Now, here’s something quite delightful and interesting. Delightful because since when is happy folk anything but delightful; and interesting because it does it in a way that isn’t the same as every other happy folk song ever. It is, perhaps, the bees knees, though I do wonder what is meant by that phrase. Is there something outstanding about the knees of a bee? Regardless, this is charming as all heck, so I deem it to be the worthy recipient of many bees knees.
Egad, peeps. I’ve been waiting for this song to be released ever since I heard it used in the trailer for Transistor back in May last year. But the waiting has paid off, because both the game and its soundtrack have been released! Rejoice!
Darren and Ashley have featured on either/or before for their work on the Bastion soundtrack. This new track follows a similar thread to their previous efforts, only with far less country and far more drums and bass. Have at it, fellow readers!
I can almost hear this song being performed by some radio-friendly pop artist. If they’d jammed it full of electronic instrumentation, some auto-tune and daft, overwrought lyrics, it’d fit in rather nicely. Thankfully, they’ve instead jammed it full of pleasing brass, piano and drums, natural vocals and some endearingly lovely lyrics. Portland has saved pop music yet again! It is quite the sweet little tune, with just the right collection of perfect, humble components.
I’d like to think that I know enough about music to recognise the 12 bar blues pattern. Everyone who listens to music has probably heard it at some point: between it and the four-chord progression, you’re looking at the basis for quite a large collection of tunes. The trick is to take those oft-repeated structures and make them hella interesting, to which Graveyard Train has done with this song. And rather admirably!
A spirited, dark country twang mixed with some quietly gruff singing and simple lyrics makes this song compulsively listenable. Man, look at me throwing all these fancy words around! All you really need to know is that it is totally rad and that you should totally listen to it right now.
Sometimes, we all need some rockin’ fun in our lives. The musical kind of rockin’ fun, that is. And you know what that means: Canada to the rescue!
Here is a tight little spot of pop rock, which, to me, harks back to the 90s. Ah, the 90s. How I wasted it listening to so much terrible music. Anyway, this tune brings with it a far sharper sensibility than the sometimes mopey rock of the 90s. And it’s a delightful example of the aforementioned rockin’ fun, so get that head of yours a-bangin’!
Good gracious me, I do love some alternative country. If my MP3 copy of Farewell Transmission had the same lifespan as that of a vinyl record, I’d have etched a hole straight through the darn thing by now, on account of how many times it’s been replayed. As such, it’s always a joy to hear more amazing alternative country that I can add to my collection.
Introducing First Aid Kit, a Swedish folk/pop duo, who (at least, in this song) sound a bit like Neko Case. That is certifiably a darn good thing, so I’ll certainly be perusing their back catalogue for any more gold. For now, enjoy My Silver Lining, which will be available on their new album, Stay Gold, due out next month.
Alright everyone. Monday. Start of the working week. As such, what we need is a suitable kick up the bum to get us out of bed and into the wild world. Some real working class, hard-edged country rock.
Thankfully, Tom Petty delivers with this simply composed but completely cracking tune. It joins the collection of classic road tripping songs, and should hopefully get you through Monday. If it doesn’t, then you may need a career change. Just sayin’!
It’s mother’s day! At least, it’s mother’s day here in Australia (and a bunch of other places). So, I figured that a special mother’s day tune was in order and, well… this was the only one I could think of in the three seconds I spent thinking about it. Hope your mothers are Queen fans! And if not, they must be terrible mothers. Just kidding, I’m sure your mother is lovely. Just don’t take the advice in this song literally, or you may have some explainin’ to do.
I am utterly flabbergasted. Somehow, I have managed to never post about this song, despite it being in my collection for aeons. I am truly a cretinous cur!
Anyway, here is Marina and the Diamonds with Mowgli’s Road, which I’d say is a delicious spot of dark pop. It is infectious, perpetually interesting and a just a little bit twisted, and it has a music video that I’m sure Jim Henson would’ve been proud of.
Gosh dangit, yesterday’s post is still making me sad. In a good way, I assure you. So, let’s lighten the mood, shall we? How about some cool, casual soul from Australia?
Australia’s latest digital radio network, Double J is proving itself to be a music gold mine, particularly if it keeps unearthing stuff like this for me to steal post about. My journalistic integrity aside, it’s gotta be good for the artists featured on the station to get more mentions elsewhere, right???
